Cigarette vending and lighting machine



June 5, 1951 G. E. THOMAS CIGARETTE VENDING AND LIGHTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-S t 1 Filed ay 10, 1948 IN VE R 60R6 HOMAS 7/ I I A fa/ jviy Patented June 5, 1951 NT OFFICE CIGARETTE VENDING AND LIGHTING MACHINE George E. Thomas, Long Beach, Calif.

Application May 10, 1948, Serial No. 26,087

This invention relates to a device which will vend cigarettes, one at a time, and will simultaneously light each cigarette as it is vended.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel cigarette vending and lighting machine which will eject single cigarettes when it is operated, and furthermore will tilt each cigarette as it is vended so that it can be readily grasped.

Another object of my inventionis to provide a novel cigarette vending and lighting machine which will automatically tilt the cigarette as it is vended and press one end of the cigarette against a light element, thus causing the cigarette to be lit at the same time that it is vended.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel cigarette vending and lighting machine in which the lighting element is normally disconnected frcm the electrical circuit except when a cigarette is being vended, and at that time it is automatically connected with the electrical circuit, and is thus heated.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of my cigarette vending and lighting machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front View taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the feed block and the guide pin therefor.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the cigarette in vending position.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 3, and showing the parts in normal position, prior to actuating the said block.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view of the lighting element.

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I indicates a case or housing which includes a pair of vertical compartments 2 and 3, in which the cigarettes l are racked. The compartments 2 and Ii extend vertically in the housing 1!, as shown, and therefore the cig arettes therein tend to drop by gravity. A wall 5 separates the compartments 2 and 3 and a selector shaft ii extends vertically through this wall, and the shaft is formed with a finger l at its lower end, this finger being swung into either of the compartments 2 or 3, thus holding back 5 Claims. (Cl. 31286) one column of cigarettes while the adjacent column is free to move downwardly, and to be vended as will be subsequently described.

The housing 1 rises from a base 3, and an inclined wall 9 in the base, directs cigarettes forwardly towards a feed block H], which is reciprocally mounted in the base 8. A cover plate ll encloses the front of the base 8 and is provided with an elongated slot l2, through which the finger ledge l3 projects. The finger ledge l 3 is fixedly attached to the feed block if! and enables the operator to manually manipulate the feed block to vend the cigarettes as will be further described.

A guide pin M extends vertically into the feed block IE1 and a spring l5 bears against this pin and normally urges the feed block ill into its elevated position. Thus the feed block it will normally rest in the position shown in Figure 6, until it is manually pushed downwardly by the operator. A horizontal groove 15, in the top edge of the feed block, receives the single cigarette to be vended as shown in Figure 2 and this action occurs when the feed block is depressed. A guide vein I1 is hingedly mounted at the lower end of the wall 5 so that the column of cigarettes in the channel 2 will be properly directed towards the feed block. The vein I1 is very light and will readily lift when the rear column of cigarettes is being vended from the channel or compartment 3.

A finger i8 is fixedly secured to the front plate I I, and this finger is somewhat inclined from the horizontal, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. A plate ii) is pivotally mounted on one end of the feed block l0, and the cigarette as it rolls into the groove I6, rests on this plate, and when the feed block it rises, the cigarette will engage the finger l8, causing the plate M with the cigarette to tilt as shown at 20, in Figure 5.

This tilting of the cigarette will press one end thereof against a lighting element 2!, which is mounted on one end of the feed block if], in the following manner:

The electrical heating or lighting element 2| is fixedly attached to sleeves 22, which are slidably mounted on guide pins 23. A coil spring 24 bears against the sleeves 22, and presses these sleeves outwardly towards the side Wall of the base. 8, and particularly towards the contacts 25. These contacts are mounted in the wall of the base 8, and extend from an electrical slip connection 2E. The contacts 25 are so positioned that when the cigarette is being vended as shown in Figure 5, and is being pressed against the lighting element 21, the slips 22 will be engaging the contacts, and thus the lighting element will be ignited. As soon as the cigarette is removed, the block Ill moves upwardly a slight amount, as shown in Figure 6, and the electrical connection is broken.

To vend a cigarette the operator presses downwardly on the finger ledge it, until a cigarette can roll into the groove it, as shown in Figure 2. The feed block 19 is now released, and the spring l5 urges the block upwardly causing the cigarette to be tilted against the igniter 2!, as shown in Figure 5. In a very short length of time the cigarette is lighted, and can be removed by the user. As soon as the cigarette is removed the current to the igniter 28 is broken, and the device is ready to vend another cigarette.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A cigarette vending and lighting machine comprising a housing having a compartment therein to receive cigarettes to be vended, a feed block reciprocably mounted in said housing, said feed block being manually movable and receiving a cigarette on the top thereof on its downward movement, spring means pressing said feed block upwardly, said feed block having means thereon to receive a cigarette, cigarette lighting means mounted on said feed block, and means engageable by a cigarette as it is vended to tilt said cigarette against said lightin e ns- 2. A cigarette vending and lighting machine comprising a housing having a compartment therein to receive cigarettes to be vended, a feed block reciprocally mounted in said housing, said feed block being manually movable and receiving a cigarette on the top thereof on its downward movement, spring means pressing said feed block upwardly, said feed block having means thereon to receive a cigarette, cigarette lighting means mounted on said feed block, and means engageable by a cigarette as it is vended to tilt said cigarette against said lighting means, said lighting means comprising an electrical heating element, and contact means engageable by said heating element when said cigarette is tilted against said heating element.

3. A cigarette vending and lighting machine comprising a housing, said housing having a compartment therein to receive a column of cigarettes to be Vended, a feed block reciprocally mounted in said housing, said feed block having a horizontal groove therein to receive a cigarette from the compartment on downward movement of said feed block, spring means pressing said feed block upwardly, an electrical heating element mounted on said feed block, contact means engageable by said heating element whereby electrical current is fed to the heating element, and means to tilt a cigarette against said heating element as the cigarette is vended, and with the feed block in raised position.

4. A cigarette vending and lighting machine comprising a housing, said housing being adapted to receive a column of cigarettes to be vended, a feed block reciprocally mounted in said housing, said feed block having a horizontal groove therein to receive a cigarette, spring means pressing said feed block upwardly, an electrical heating element mounted on said feed block, contact means engageable by said heating element whereby electrical current is fed to the heating element, and means to tilt a cigarette against said heating element as the cigarette is vended, said tilting means comprising a fixed finger engageable by the cigarette, said cigarette being pressed against the finger on upward movement of the feed block.

5. A cigarette vending and lighting machine comprising a housing, said housing being adapted to receive a column of cigarettes to be vended, a feed block reciprocally mounted in said housing, said feed block having a horizontal groove therein to receive a cigarette, spring means pressing said feed block upwardly, an electrical heating element mounted on said feed block, contact means engageable by said heating element whereby electrical current is fed to the heating ele ment, and means to tilt a cigarette against said heating element as the cigarette is vended, said tilting means comprising a fixed finger engageable by the cigarette, said cigarette being pressed against the finger on upward movement of the feed block, and a plate hingedly mounted on the feed block, the cigarette to be vended resting on said plate.

GEORGE E. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,768,561 Blatti July 1, 1930 1,782,081 Werner Nov. 18, 1930 1,813,312 Ofiutt July 7, 1931 1,997,796 Jay Apr. 16, 1935 2,221,723 Rinkhoff Nov. 12, 1940 

